


bonding moments

by gummies



Category: Not Another D&D Podcast (Podcast)
Genre: Gen, guest featuring: the terrible fear of becoming your father
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:42:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22586569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gummies/pseuds/gummies
Summary: It was still him. Obviously. But he hadn’t exactly seen a mirror in a while, and, well.People had always told him he looked like his father. His mom, his camp counselors, his dad’s friends. He’d never seen it, but it’d always made him so happy to hear. So proud, when he looked over at his father and thought “That’ll be me, someday.”As it turned out, all he’d really needed was the expression. The dirt and the stubble just added to it.-Balnor teaches Beverly to shave.
Relationships: Beverly Toegold V & Balnor the Brave
Comments: 13
Kudos: 59





	bonding moments

**Author's Note:**

> projecting onto beverly? me?? pshhh, no. anyways, here's bev getting the father-son bonding he missed out on from his actual dad.

Beverly cursed as the knife slipped, nicking his cheek. _Again_.

 _Maybe a dagger isn’t the best tool for this job,_ he thought, for what felt like the hundredth time. It wasn’t like he had many other options, though- and it was definitely a better idea than using his _greatsword._

Beverly was out of his armor. He’d propped his shield up against a tree near the camp’s edge and was crouched in front of it, struggling to see his reflection through the darkness. 

He’d made… progress. Not a lot, but enough that it had to count for something. Probably. It wasn’t _that_ hard. The main setback was just that he had to pause every minute or so to heal himself.

Speaking of which- Beverly brought a finger up to the cut. “ _T_ _ouch hands!_ ” he muttered hurriedly.

“Bev?” 

Beverly swiveled his head, grip instinctively tightening on the dagger. He squinted at the shape in front of him, just barely illuminated by the light from the stars overhead. Before he could reach for his shield the image registered, and he smiled.

“Oh, uh, hey, Balnor!” he said sheepishly, waving the dagger in greeting. 

Unlike him, Balnor was in his armor. But it looked hastily put on, and he was missing a bracer. His shoulders were tense and he had one hand on the hilt of his sword, but it relaxed as soon as Beverly turned. 

“Shoosh down a little, we don’t know what’s in this forest.” Balnor reminded him, glancing around them warily.

“Whoops, sorry, you’re right!” Beverly whispered.

“Don’t worry about it. Why aren’t you in your bedroll, bud? You see something?” Balnor asked, voice gruffer than usual from sleep. 

“Ugh. No, that’s the problem.” Beverly said, glancing back at his shield. Not for the first time, he envied his friends' darkvision. 

Balnor strided over, patting Beverly on the shoulder. “Aw, I know the feeling. Last time we were in an inn, Moonshine forgot to light a candle before she shook me awake for the shift change. I nearly pissed myself.” he confessed.

Beverly chuckled, then shot a guilty look over Balnor’s shoulder. Their friends were still curled up in their sleeping bags around the dying embers of the campfire. “I’m sorry, I didn't mean to scare you! I should’ve woken you up-” 

“It’s no big deal. Just tell somebody next time.” Balnor reassured, giving Beverly’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. He blinked down at the dagger in Beverly’s hand and the shield in front of him. “Kid, are you... shaving?”

“Well,” Beverly began, laughing nervously, “I was trying to? It’s proving to be a bit more of a challenge than I expected, if I’m honest.” 

Balnor took in his scant supplies with raised eyebrows. “Jeez, Bev, you’re gonna scratch your face up! I know we’re a bit pressed for toiletries, here, but you could at least use some water.”

Beverly blinked. “...I’m supposed to use water?”

Balnor furrowed his brow. “What, your dad never teach you?”

Beverly opened his mouth, but no words followed. His face must’ve spoken for him, because Balnor’s expression immediately turned apologetic.  
  
“ _Shoot_ \- Bev, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s fine.” Beverly sighed. He set the dagger down in the grass, eyes downcast, and wrung his hands. “It’s fine. He- I never asked. I never needed to? I... was a bit of a late bloomer, I guess. I only noticed it yesterday and I just-”

( _They’d just finished fighting, and were practically soaked in sweat and other, even less fun bodily fluids. The creek had been an obvious next stop, but it was only when Beverly was leaning over the water to wash the blood from his face, hard-set and exhausted, that he saw his reflection. He nearly lost his balance, jerking away in surprise._

_It was still him. Obviously. But he hadn’t exactly seen a mirror in a while, and, well._

_People had always told him he looked like his father. His mom, his camp counselors, his dad’s friends. He’d never seen it, but it’d always made him so happy to hear. So proud, when he looked over at his father and thought “That’ll be me, someday.”_

_As it turned out, all he’d really needed was the expression. The dirt and the stubble just added to it._ )

“-I’d rather not.” he finished.

Balnor nodded understandingly. “Why didn’t you ask one of us for help?” he asked quietly.

Beverly shifted guiltily. “I’d always told Hardwon I couldn’t wait to grow a beard.”

“So?” Balnor tilted his head. “You can change your mind, Bev, he’s not gonna be disappointed if you don’t do everything like him.”

Beverly didn’t respond.

“And- and you could’ve asked me, if you needed help. I know my way around a razor, if I do say so myself.” Balnor said, scratching his mustache.

“I didn’t want to make it into a big deal.” Beverly confessed. “I thought I could just-” he gestured to the dagger.

“It’s not a big deal!” Balnor said without hesitation, “Here, let me just-” he turned away, giving Beverly’s shoulder a pat before half-jogging back over to the campsite. Beverly watched as he leaned down and rifled through the bags- not the group’s, but Balnor’s own personal pack. When he came back, he was holding what looked like a long, flat switchblade in one hand and a canteen in the other 

“This is a straight razor.” explained Balnor.  
  
“Ah.” hummed Beverly. He recognized it now, could remember seeing something similar among his father’s things back home. This one was simpler- no engravings, no filigree, just a piece of scuffed metal hinged onto a wooden case. It looked well cared for all the same, and Beverly smiled at the thought of Balnor sharpening something so small on a whetstone.

“So, I think you’re past the point of needing a safety lecture, but I gotta say it anyways- this isn’t a toy. You’ve gotta be careful with a razor, ‘cause it’s still dangerous, and you’re gonna be using it on your face.”

Beverly nodded, and Balnor continued. “This first time, I’m gonna show you how to use it, okay? And then you can have it.”

Beverly’s eyes widened. “Really?” he asked.

“‘Course.” Balnor smiled, then, more sheepishly: “I mean, only have the one, so we’re gonna have to share until I can pick up another, but-” Beverly cut him off, rushing forward to give the older halfling a hug, “-woah, woah, woah, holding a sharp object here, Bev!”

“Sorry.” Beverly apologized, still smiling as he pulled back.

“S’fine. Alright, put your hand out.” Balnor huffed, dropping to the ground with a short grunt. He unscrewed the cap to his canteen and tipped it over Beverly’s palm. “Now, get that all over your face- you don’t need to do your forehead! A little more on your cheek- no, the other one- here, just let me.”

Beverly sat back and let Balnor splash water onto his face. He watched eagerly as Balnor flipped out the blade of the razor.

“Now, keep still. Hm. You want me to keep your sideburns?”

“Huh? Oh, uh, sure! I like how they look. But could you trim them a little, maybe?”  
  
“Sure. Tilt your head a little, Bev. The trick is to start from the bottom and work your way upwards-”

The razor glided over Beverly’s skin and, yeah, wow, that hurt much less than with a dry dagger. It was nice, even- strangely soothing. Relaxing, in an unfamiliar way. Beverly felt his eyes fall shut, tuning out Balnor’s words without exactly meaning to. 

He tried to remember the last time his father had done something like this for him. It took longer than it felt like it should’ve. He tried to blame it on a lack of sleep. _I really should go to bed soon_ , Beverly thought to himself. Maybe his mind would be clearer in the morning. He hoped so. 

He knew it wouldn’t be.


End file.
